Taping machine



July 19, 93 c. CHRISTIANSEN TAPING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet fnz/enfor- C4200}, fizzorneg/s.

y 19, 1932- v c CHRISTIANSEN 1,867,655

TA\PT.NG MACHTNE Filed June 28, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 19, 1932. c CHR|ST|ANSEN 1,867,655

TAPING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 291 jizve nzar- BY MMI (MW, W9-MQ Patented July 7 19, 1932 UNETEE STATES PATENT CHRISTIAN GHRISTIANSEN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 1'0 ROTARY MA CHINE COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF IEASSACHUSETTS TAPING MACHINE Application filed June 28, 1928. Serial No. 289,017.

This invention relates particularly to machines for applying adhesive tape along the back seam of shoe uppers.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for applying adhesive tape along the seam or line of attachment of two pieces of leather or fabric, in which the work may be done rapidly, economically and efficiently.

A further obj cct is to provide a back seam taping machine capable of automatically guiding the work and accurately applying the seam, wherein the construction is such as to prevent collapse of the edges of the material projecting from the seam while enabling the tape to be applied in an improved and more eflicient manner than heretofore.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means for separating the raw edges of the seam as the work enters the machine.

Before explaining in detail the present invention. it is to be understood that the in vention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended as considered in view of the prior art and the requirements thereof.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken at the oppos te side of the machine, with part of the casing removed to show the operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a perspective detail view of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 4 taken through the center of the feed rolls.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the work and tape guide;

Figs. 7 8 and 9 are sectional detail views taken through the point of contact between the feed rolls;

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail view of one type of finished Work.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the machine.

Heretofore in machines for applying adhesive tape along the back seam of shoe uppers it has been the practice either to rub out and flatten the free edges of the work projecting from the seam before applying the tape, or to flatten out by a rubbing action these seam edges or the so called ridge formed thereby while attempting to apply the tape at the same time. These methods have proved slow and unsatisfactory. The present invention eliminates the foregoing and provides a method and apparatus for applying the tape without necessitating the rubbing or flattening down of the seam ridge which has heretofore been necessary in taping the back seams for leather uppers. The machine may also be interchangeably used for taping the back seams on fabric uppers, in this case the machine operating simply to fold back the portions of the fabric projecting from the seam.

The present machine is illustrated in the drawings in connection with the taping both of back seams on fabric uppers and also back seams on leather uppers, it being adapted for both uses without modification. In Figs. 1, 4, 5, 7 and 10 the operation of taping fabric back seams is illustrated .while Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the method of taping leather back seams.

The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises a base 10 upon which a frame 11 is secured in any suitable manner as by screws 12. This frame is chambered to provide a casing adapted to be closed by a cover plate (not shown) and is provided with upper and lower forwardly extending arms 11a and 11b. Shafts 13 and 1% are mounted for rotation in suitable bearings in the frame 11 and also in hubs 21 and 22 of a bracket plate 20. An

upper feed roll 15 is mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 14 for rotation therewith. Mounted on this shaft is a hub 17 secured to the shaft by set screws 18 and having a flange 17a abutting against the hub 22. A. gear 16 is fixed to the hub 17 in any suitable manner. The bracket 20 is also provided with a hub within which is suitably journalled a drive shaft 26. The shaft 26 has a pinion 27 fixed upon its inner end and a pulley 28 fixed upon its opposite end and connected with a suitable source of power as by a belt 23. The bracket 20 also has a hub 36 within which is journalled a stud shaft 85, the latter carrying a gear 37 meshing with the pinion 27 carried by the shaft 26. A pinion 38 is also mounted upon the shaft and meshes with a large gear 42 secured to the shaft 13. The gear 42 is at all times in mesh with the gear 16 of similar diameter carried by the upper shaft 14.

Mounted within the frame arm 11?) is a rock shaft 44. Upon the rear end of this rock shaft is mounted a collar 45a of a depending arm 45, held on the shaft by set screws 46 engaging a slabbed off portion 44a of the rock shaft.

An arm 50 is secured to the front end of the shaft 44 and is inwardly offset at its free end 1 to form a crank provided with a hub 51. Connected to the shaft 13 by a universal connection 13a is a shaft 52 mounted in bearings in the hub 51. Secured to the outer end of shaft is a lower feed roll 53 adapted to cooperate with the upper feed roll 15.

Mounted to swing on a fixed stud 55 is a lever 56, the free end of which is connected to a treadle rod 58 operated from a suitable floor treadle. The lever 56 is connected intermediate its ends to the arm 45 by a spring 57. The lower part of the arm 45 is wedge shaped and normally rests against a cam 56a formed on the inner face of the lever 56. When the lever 56 and arm 45 are in normal positions, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the arm is locked against movement by virtue of the abutting face of the cam 56a. Upon depressing the treadle rod 58 the lever 56 will be swung downwardly toward the dotted line position, and the spring 57 will act to swing the arm 45 toward the dotted line position, the lower end of the arm travelling on the cam face 56a. Uponreleasing the treadle the parts will return to the full line positions by the action of the spring, the-upper edge of the lever 56 engaging a stop shoulder 456 on the face of arm 45.

Then the arm 45 is swung in this manner it will rock the shaft 44 thereby rocking the crank arm 50, resulting in depressing the lower feed roll 53, which is permitted by virtue of the universal shaft connection 130; through which the roll is driven.

A bracket 60 mounted upon the frame 11 is provided at its free end with a stud 61 upon which rotates a reel or holder 62a for the tape 62 which is wound thereon. Rotation of the reel of tape 62 upon the stud 61 is resisted by a spring tension device 63 in the form of a spider having spring arms engaging the face of the tape holder or reel.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive it will be seen that the feeding and tape applying rollers 15 and 53 are so constructed as to permit the tape to be applied over the seam ridge by pressure while doing away with the rub hing action on the ridge to flatten it. The tape is stretched under considerable pressure across the line of seam and by this action compresses the ridge sufficiently to result in a snug, smoothly taped seam.

The roll 15 is beveled around its periphery to provide oppositely inclined working faces 65. The lower roll 53 is also beveled to provide oppositely inclined working faces 66 mating with and parallel to the faces 65. In the construction shown in Fig. 7 the angular faces 66 are separated by a flat annular face 90 forming between itself and the apex 91 of the faces a channel or groove to receive the seam ridge.

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, the upper roll 15 is provided with a central annular groove 67 for receiving the seam ridge and in Fig. 9 the roll 53 is provided with a groove or channel 68 which is located opposite to a flat annular face 92 on the upper roll separating the inclin ed faces 65.

In operating on leather uppers, the pieces of leather are preferably stitched together very close to the free edges 93 of the leather pieces, providing therefore a very short scam ridge which dos not need to be rubbed and crushed in order to flatten it. When the tape is stretched across the seam and pressed angularly at opposite sides thereof, the pressure of the tape alone will push in slightly the raw edges of the seam ridge, and this together with the location of the stitch line close to the edges of the leather producing an extremel; short ridge, will result in a flat finish.

Fig. 7 illustrates the application of adhesive tape in the case of fabric material IV. The pieces are stitched together at S (Fi 4) leaving in this instance wide free edges which are first folded back as later described an d thev tape then applied as shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 8 the adhesive tape is pressed. outwardly from the leather seam edges 93 at opaosite sides and this results in a ullin action which stretches the tape over the seam, and the tape itself flattens the ridge somewhat, this position of the ridge not being shown in the figure.

In Fig. 9 the leather seam edges 93 are forced by the tape into the groove 68, and the tape 94 is secured across the ridge on a short arc, so that the tape will remain taut due to the outward pressure of the ridge after the stock is fed out of the machine.

In accordance with one feature of the invention means are provided for guiding the tape and the seam of the work and for positioning the former accurately upon the latter as the work is fed into the throat between the feed rolls. For this purpose, as illustrated, a bracket 70 is mounted upon the frame 11 to extend to a point adjacent the edge of the roll 15 and into the throat between the feed rolls and 53. Ihe free end of the bracket is provided with a split hub 7 2 in which a M sleeve 73 may be secured as by a screw 7 4; en-

gaging opposite sides of the hub. A slot 75 is provided in the sleeve 73 extending longitudinally from one end thereofto receive a guide tube 7 6. The tube 7 6 is held in a suitable position inthe slot 75 by astud 78 provided with a groove 79 adapted to embrace the tube 76' and provided at one endwith a threaded portion 80 adapted to receive a knurled adjusting nut 81 The guidetube 76 hasa substantially rectangular cross section and has aflared portion82 forming a bearing for the tape T. Suitable wing projections 84: are provided ex tending outwardly from each side of the tube q 76 and away from the throat between-the feed rolls and serve the purpose of guiding the seam S upon the work Vin a predeter mined path and prevent collapse thereof. If desired, one of the faces of the tube 76 may project downwardly beyond the lower end thereof to form a presser member 85 adapted to lay the tape across theseam. In the construction illustrated, a wedge shaped spreador 86 is provided upon one face of the tube 776 between the guides 8d and may taper out- 'wardly to form a knlfe edge adapted to enter between the raw edges of the seam and separate the same. This wedge 86 also acts as a guide for guiding the-stock along the line of stitching. 1

In operation, as the feed rolls 15 and 53 are rotated to feed work therebetween, the tape T is guided through the tube 76 to the throat of the machine and is laid across the seam S by the presser 85. At the same time the work W is fed between the rolls and the seam S is guided in a predetermined path and its collapse is prevented by the guides 84. As the seam is guided between the guides 84 the edges of the spreader 86 enter between the raw edges of the seam and separates the same. In

th case of fabric stock, as shown in Fig. 4, the seam edges are folded back and laid upon the stock by the wedge 86 and the blade 85.

q lVith the tape thus positioned across the seam the work is passed between the rolls and the tape applied to the seam in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying an adhesive tape along'a seam uniting two pieces of work,

the combination of a pair of tape pressing 7 rolls having parallel oppositely inclined.

working faces, saidlower roll havingan annular flat portion separating the inclined faces thereof, and a guide for guiding the, work along the seam and for seam on said flat portion.

holding the 2. In a machine for applying an adhesive tape along a seam uniting two piecesof work,

the combination of a pair of tape pressing rolls having parallel oppositely inclined working faces, said lowerroll having an annular fiat portion separating the inclined faces thereof, a guide for guiding the worlv along the seam and for holding the seam on said flat portion, and means for guiding the tape into position between said guide and rolls. 7 I

3. In a machine for applying an adhesive tape along a seam uniting two pieces of work, the combination of a'pair oftape pressing .rolls having parallel oppositely inclined working faces, said lower roll having an" annular flat port on separating the inclined faces thereof, and a combined device for guiding the seam along-said flat portion,

guiding the tape and applying the tape along the seam.

4. In amachine for applying anadhesive tape along aseam unitingltwoplecesof work forming a seam ridge, comprising a pair of cooperating tape pressing 'rolls havingmating oppositely inclined work faces, means for guidmg the work andtape between-the rolls, the oppositely incllned faces of one roll being oined bya" flat face, and the other roll having a groove separating.theiinclined faces thereof and registering with saidfiat face;

5. In ainachine for applying 'an adhesive tape along a seam'uniting two pieces of Work a forming a seam ridge, comprising a pair 'of cooperating tape pressing rolls having mating oppositely inclined work faces, means for guiding the work and tape betweenthe rolls, the oppositelyinclincd facesof one roll being joined-bye :fla't face, the other roll having a groove separating the inclined faces thereof and registeringwith said flat face,

and means for maintaining said vseam alined with said flat face. V V 6. In amachine for-apply ng adheslve tape along the back seam. of a shoe upper, the combination of a pairf'of tape-"pressing rolls adapted to feed work there-between, means for positioningthe tape alongthe' seam com prising a guide for the longitudinal edges of man said tape, and acooperatingguidefor posi-V tioning said seam relative to said rolls, said rollshav ng cooperating opposltely inclined working faces spaced aparta greater distance at the center ofsaid'working faces than at either side thereof. a 'v 7. In a machine for'applying adhesive tape 1 upon the back seam of a shoe upper,'thecombination of a pair of rolls adapted to feed work therebetween and apply tape along the seam, means for positioning. the tapev along the seam comprising a guide for the longitudinal edges of said tape, acooperating guide for positioning said seam relative to the seam. comprising a guide for the longi tudinal edges of said: tape, a cooperating guide for pos1t1on1ng said seam relative to said rolls, a presser member adapt-ed to lay the tape upon said seam, and a spreader for separating the raw edges of said seam as the work approaches said rolls.

9. In a machine for applying adhesive tape upon the back seam ofa shoe upper, the combination of a pair of rolls adapted to feed work therebetween and apply tape along the seam, means for positioning the tape along the seam comprising a hollow elongated guide tubeof substantially rectangular cross section adapted to be positioned in the throat 7 between said rolls, and a guide member extending from near the bottom of each side of said tube and away from said rolls.

10. In a machine for applying adhesive tape upon the back seam of a shoe upper, the combination of a pair of rolls adapted'to feed Work therebetween and apply tape along the seam, means for positioning the tape along.

the seam comprising a hollow elongated guide tube ofsubstantially rectangular cross section adapted to be positioned in the throat between said rolls, a guide member extending from near the bottom of each side of said tube and away from said rolls, and an adjustable holder for said tube.

11. In a machine for applying adhesive tape upon the back seam of a shoe upper, the combination of a pair of rolls adapted to feed work therebetween and apply tape along the seam, means for positioning the tape along the seam comprising a hollow elongated l guide tube of substantially rectangular cross section adapted to be-positioned in the throat between said rolls, a guide member extending from near the bottom of each side of said tube and away from said rolls, and a presser member extending downwardly from the lower edge of said tube.

" from near the bottom of each side of said tube and away from said rolls, and a spreader member projecting from said tube between said guide members for separating the raw edges of said seam.

13. In a taping machine, the combination of upper and lower cooperating work feeding and taping pressing rolls, means for rotating said rolls including a flexible shaft for the lower roll, and mechanism for depressing said lower roll and for locking the same when in operative position against downward movement with respect to the upper roll.

14. In a taping machine, the combination of upper and lower cooperating work feeding and tape pressing rolls, means for rotating said rolls, means for depressing said lower roll including a cam device adapted to lock the roll when in operative position.

15. 'In a taping machine, the combination of upper and lower cooperating work feeding and tape pressing rolls, means for rotating said rolls, means for depressing said lower roll including a cam device adapted to lock the roll when in operative position, and a treadle operated member for actuating said cam device. V

16. In a taping machine, a pair of cooperating rolls, means for guiding the work and tape between said rolls,- means for shifting one of the rolls away from the other including a rock shaft, a cam device for rocking the shaft and for looking it against rocking movement when in normal position, and a treadle connection for actuating said cam device.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHRISTIAN GHRISTIANSEN.

12. In a machine forapplying adhesivetape upon the back seam of a shoe upper, the combination of a pair of rolls adapted to feed work therebetween and apply tape along the seam, means for positioning the tape along the seam comprising a hollow elongated guide tube of substantially rectangular cross section adapted to be positioned in the throat between said rolls, a guide member extending 

